I got through my first week of uni & although I’m already getting the anti-Christian vibes in one of my classes already, most of my profs & classmates are really nice and I’m super hyped about it!
Today, I have an exciting announcement to make…United We Fall, Bk 2 of How We Rise by Brooke Riley is coming out in 3 days!! Whoo!!! I was very privileged to ARC read her book, and here’s my review below…
United We Fall
Rating: 4/5 stars, PG13
Content: Violence, Romance, government control, thematic elements, some language
What is truth? What are lies?
It’s been two weeks since Raegan’s death. Two weeks since a big blow was dealt to the resistance. Two weeks since Peter lost his best friend and perhaps his soul mate. Now, he’s out for revenge on everyone responsible, starting with the biggest coward: Agent Specter.
Peter doesn’t care what rules he has to break to bring down those who took away the one he loved the most. When someone he never expected comes forward with information that seems too good to be true, he has to make a decision on what to do before it’s too late.
The shocking sequel to How We Rise
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My Review
I can’t wait for UWF’s upcoming release in 3 days now!!!
NOTE: I received an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
1. Theme–Again, Brooke kept her focus on family, friends, and basically relationships between people when the world is changing. It’s quite relevant with today’s political atmosphere and spoke to me. ( ˙꒳˙ )
2. Prose–I was pleasantly surprised to find Brooke grew more into her prose. As UWF features multiple povs, I was really happy to find each character had a more distinct voice than bk1. ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧
3. Characters–Okay, this is obviously where I have to stop because, UWF is super character-driven like you would not believe.😂 (Also, most of the character arcs are spoilers for those of you who have not read bk1, so please be warned!) Prepare for your heart to be shattered, everyone!! ｡°(´∩ω∩`)°｡
> Peter: First of all, I was kind of sure HWR destroyed a lot of characters and the one who got the full brunt of it was Peter. *inserts comforting words & marshmallows and anything I can think of* I loved how he struggled with coming to terms with what it would look like after such a tragic bk1 ending–which he sort of didn’t, but anyway.🤔 I think it was realistic how he grappled with grief and guilt and revenge, and how it might continue into bk3!! Gahh!!
> Spencer: I was not expecting his arc to be this good. Tbh, I don’t remember much about him in bk1 (sorry, lol) and it came as a surprise when he stepped into the tragedy to really pull people together into healing and mending…and forgiving. I think this was a big score. So many YA dystopia I’ve read was depressing because the “rebellion” was just an excuse for revenge, a circle of hate upon hate. But Spencer changed all that. Honestly, he’s probably my fav. character because of it. 🥰
> Evan: Obviously, my absolute fav. character (other than Spencer & Peter) is Evan. Okay, I was waiting for UWF just because I wanted to know where Evan was going after HWR. 🙈 And, quite naturally, I am waiting for OWA to follow him all the way to the end. *terminate rant before I spoil anything*
> Carissa: I wasn’t expecting her to grow into the sort of jarring ending from bk 1…I think she def. helped deepen the world of the HWR trilogy because I didn’t see it as clearly before. She still isn’t my fav. but towards the ending of UWF, she really expanded into herself. (*´꒳`*)
> Samantha: Another character I’ve been waiting to see where she’d go, and I was not disappointed! Although to be sure, I would have liked to see more of where she came from and where she is currently, there’s a large cast at hand, so I think it was okay…
> Jackson: Here, I’ve absolutely got to stop. *deep breath* Do you like the “traitors who mend” arc?? (As in Edmund?) Do you like dorky characters who are actually really caring on the inside?? Have you been waiting for Jackson since the ending of HWR?? If so, Jackson is totally there for you and that’s like the only incentive you should need to read this book. ( ¯꒳¯ )ｂ✧
> Nicole, Sawyer, Noah, Stella: They were all deepened down & I was happy we got more screen time on them, although I do think they can be more fleshed out…Nicole & Sawyer’s arc was realistic and offered another way for the worldbuilding to expand.
!!SPOILER ALERT!!
(If you want to read it, highlight the paragraph below…)
> Raegan: I debated whether or not to put her in here, but I will. Tbh, I didn’t really feel for her in HWR and then the ending shook me…
And we have UWF.
Raegan is honestly such a resolute character that I feel bad for not seeing it earlier. She goes through such a traumatic experience but keeps her resolve, keeps moving forward. And that’s something not everyone can do.
4. Plot–UWF reads like a contemporary dystopian, so the plot is not too convoluted but rather more straightforward. It felt flatter in terms of action. There’s certainly tension and a buildup, although it felt a little too predictable. I think I would like to see more twists in bk3!
5. Execution–Overall, I think Brooke tied together all these elements well into a solid contemporary-dystopian. I think I would have liked to see more coherence in worldbuilding and a more streamlined plot to character arcs, but that’s about it. (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤)
★∻∹⋰⋰ ☆∻∹⋰⋰ ★∻∹⋰⋰ ☆∻∹⋰⋰★∻∹⋰⋰ ☆∻∹⋰⋰ ★∻∹⋰⋰ ☆∻∹⋰⋰
If you like:
a) character-driven stories
b) redemption arc
c) contemporary-dystopian
This book is for you!!
AUTHOR BIO
Brooke Riley started her writing journey at fifteen when she had an idea about a world falling to ruin. Though the stories have come a long way from their original conception, she has found a refuge in writing books. A lover of literature and an avid bookworm, words have always been somewhere ingrained in her soul.
When she’s not writing, she’s dreaming up new worlds, making playlists, or hanging out with her family.
You can find her on:
Email List Update
Last week, I asked around a little about my email list. For a while, I’ve been meaning to work on it and haven’t really been able to, but from September, I want to change that.
“Mailchimp, as you might know, takes some time to set up (even with personalised templates). And, it hasn’t felt like it conveyed my sentiments &c really well anymore …
So, from now on, my monthly email would look a little different. Since I have the monthly reflection-thing going on already on my Afternoon Tea with SJ series I will cut the redundancy of stating them here. Instead, I will focus more on the month’s starting goals, TBR, WIP goals & c.”
PERKS of joining my email list:
You’ll get…
Weekly blog updates delivered straight to your inbox
Monthly goal updates on reading, writing & life
One aesthetic writing quote wallpaper + One aesthetic writing task wallpaper
Exclusive sneak-peaks into my WIPs, character collages &c!
Priority updates into my future online writing group
So, if you haven’t already, please consider subscribing to my email list. WordPress is a good place for my blog, but for any other announcements, it isn’t the greatest. By subscribing to my email list, you can be sure to stay in the loop of where I am outside the blogosphere. 😉
And that’s it for today!
Thank you for reading! Are you excited for Brooke’s upcoming book release, United We Fall? Have you read How We Rise? Are you subscribed to my email list (yet)?? Let me know your thoughts in the comment below; I’d love to chat with you!
Yesterday, we went on an impromptu hike. I wasn’t expecting us to go to a 600+ metres peak, and the snow (apparently Vancouver is also Canada) and the clouds and basically everything. Well, it was gorgeous up there (albeit freezing), so I’m glad I went. I’m even more glad I’m back home typing this at my favourite desk.
Anyhow.
A lot of things happened this week, but one thing in particular reminded me how much I loved sci-fi, of all things. I know, weirdness. But sometimes there’s this thought that might pop up–Hey, I really love having bath and listening to podcasts or Mozart’s Requiem–and you kind of go on dreaming about it. So I’ve come up with a 12 Sci-Fi Books & Movies List!
Without further ado, let us dive into the speculative and scientific…
1. Illuminae Files
Contents: Language, Violence, Thematic Elements, &c. (sorry, I don’t recall everything…just be reminded it’s kind of intense)
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra — who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents — including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more — Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
Okay, if you haven’t read this series yet, THEN WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE???
Jokes aside, it’s probably my fav. sci-fi books, like, ever. There are some content warnings (i. e. language, although it’s crossed out) so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re under fifteen, but this book’s for you even if you might normally not like space operas. I loathe space operas, and this is my fav. sci-fi book. Go figure. Plus, AIDAN. (Legit got me hooked on Mozart’s Requiem, which is what I’m listening to right now.)
The earth is in the middle of WWIII in Insignia, the first entry in S. J. Kincaid’s fast-paced sci-fi adventure trilogy is perfect for fans of Ender’s Game.
The planet’s natural resources are almost gone, and war is being fought to control the assets of the solar system. The enemy is winning. The salvation may be Tom Raines. Tom doesn’t seem like a hero. He’s a short fourteen-year-old with bad skin. But he has the virtual-reality gaming skills that make him a phenom behind the controls of the battle drones.
As a new member of the Intrasolar Forces, Tom’s life completely changes. Suddenly, he’s someone important. He has new opportunities, friends, and a shot at having a girlfriend. But there’s a price to pay. . . .
This is the other sci-fi book I’ve read more than once. It’s been about two years since I last re-read it, so my memory’s a bit foggy, but I loved the vibes of the story–hacking, check, corporate espionage and wars, check, weird teenagers, check–so I’d heartily recommend it if that’s the kind of thing you like. I mean, lots of weirdness and tech and military-esque-stuff.
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
I recently read the first book of the Lunar Chronicles and absolutely fell in love with it. It’s mostly clean, I love all things cyborg–I mean, come on, it’s a sci-fi fairytale retelling! And it’s Marissa Meyer. Nothing can go wrong with this setting.
It’s just another day on the Scrap: lose the last of your credits at the WarDome, dodge the gangs and religious fanatics, discover you can destroy electronics with your mind, stumble upon the deadliest robot ever built When Eve finds the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down. With her best friend and her robotic sidekick in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, battle cyborg assassins, and scour abandoned megacities to save the ones she loves and learn the dark secrets of her past.
Fans of Jay Kristoff, the Romanov family, androids and nuclear-scarred landscape, unite! I got to read this book as an ARC and I just devoured it in one sitting. What I love about this book is that it doesn’t read like a normal sci-fi, despite the setting. Obviously I’m kind of obsessed with Russian history, so I loved the undertone vibe to it. Plus, there’s a girl named Lemon Fresh. Why wouldn’t I love this book?
5. Warcross
Contents: Some violence, Thematic Elements, LGBTQ2+, romance, &c.
Rating: PG13
For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life.
The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.
Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.
Marie Lu’s a boss when it comes to YA sci-fi, but I’m really picky about books. Especially books set in Tokyo. *stares* Either a book captures Japan and its culture or it doesn’t. End of story.
Warcross is the other book I’ll cradle in my arms and cry over. I just loved the neon city vibes–it brought back so many memories!! And I mean, Hideo is super hot. (Okay, I’ve got to admit, this and his family’s backstory that ties into bk2 is just…perfect.) And it’s one of those big corporate settings. I guess I really love slightly sinister organisations, sabotage, and espionage-vibes. 🙂
6. Space Trilogy
Contents: Violence, Some gore, Thematic Elements, (one lesbian person?)
Dr Ransom, a Cambridge academic, is abducted and taken on a spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra, which he knows as Mars. His captors are plotting to plunder the planet’s treasures and offer Ransom as a sacrifice to the creatures who live there…
PERELANDRA
Having escaped from Mars, Dr Ransom is called to the paradise planet of Perelandra, or Venus. When his old enemy also arrives and is taken over by the forces of evil, Ransom finds himself in a desperate struggle to save the innocence of this Eden-like world…
THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH
Investigating the truth about her prophetic dreams, Anne Studdock encounters the fabled Dr Ransom, who is in great pain after his travels. A sinister society run by his old adversaries intends to harness the ancient powers of a resurrected Merlin in their ambition to subjugate the people of Earth…
Didn’t think I’d pull a Lewis on you? Think again. (Obviously I’ll try to sneak a C. S. Lewis book in a given book list.) I just love the way his Space Trilogy is layered. Out of the Silent Planet is definitely the most old-schooled sci-fi of the three, almost reading like a Wells book, but with a decidedly theological twist that somehow works.
Perelandra is almost Miltonian in a sense, but the action towards the end is pretty break-neck.
That Hideous Strength, without a doubt, is my favourite ST book. I think one can also classify it as a dystopian with an English countryside-dark academia vibe to it. Not quite Orwellian (because obviously it’s Christian in its outlook), but shockingly contemporary in its themes and contents. A must-read.
7. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Contents: Violence, Thematic Elements, some graphic contents (I think?)
Rating: R18+
In this hyperkinetic and relentlessly inventive novel, Japan’s most popular (and controversial) fiction writer hurtles into the consciousness of the West. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World draws readers into a narrative particle accelerator in which a split-brained data processor, a deranged scientist, his shockingly undemure granddaughter, Lauren Bacall, Bob Dylan, and various thugs, librarians, and subterranean monsters collide to dazzling effect. What emerges is simultaneously cooler than zero and unaffectedly affecting, a hilariously funny and deeply serious meditation on the nature and uses of the mind.
If you haven’t noticed it yet, I love sci-fi books that are philosophical at its heart. And, I’m also a Murakami fan.
This is the second or third book I read, and it’s definitely my fav. Murakami book. I love how vague and otherworldly this story is although I can trace faint outlines of normal Tokyo I know. Except it isn’t. This book isn’t for young audiences, however, so I’d caution that. (But I think it’s milder than other Murakami books, IDK.)
8. The Alex Crow
Contents: Violence, Gore, Thematic Elements, Actual War, some graphic contents, &c.
Once again blending multiple story strands that transcend time and place, Grasshopper Jungle author Andrew Smith tells the story of 15-year-old Ariel, a refugee from the Middle East who is the sole survivor of an attack on his small village. Now living with an adoptive family in Sunday, West Virginia, Ariel’s story of his summer at a boys’ camp for tech detox is juxtaposed against those of a schizophrenic bomber and the diaries of a failed arctic expedition from the late nineteenth century. Oh, and there’s also a depressed bionic reincarnated crow.
I know I mentioned this book in another one of my book lists, but now that I think about it, it does have a decidedly sci-fi vibe to it so I’ve taken it up again! I love the convoluted timelines and Ariel’s story (which is heartbreaking) as well as the bizarreness of the expedition diaries. There’s this invisible scientific corporation undertone that’s also really chilling.
It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.
It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.
But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.
I did a review of this book I was going to post on my blog but never did. (I think I posted a short version on Goodreads.) Which, btw, expresses my sentiments well.
But I wanted to include this book on this list because the situation is absolutely delectable. Like, an all-girls school that’s cut off from the rest of the world? An unknown illness that decomposes a person from the inside out (flowers budding from your arm, that kind of thing)? Um, I’d totally read it. And although it could be better, I really do love the setting. So if that kind of thing’s your cup of tea, go for it!
Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live. The toxic gas that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not afraid.
Thalli is different than others in The State. She feels things. She asks questions. And in the State, this is not tolerated. The Ten scientists who survived the nuclear war that destroyed the world above believe that emotion was at the core of what went wrong—and they have genetically removed it from the citizens they have since created. Thalli has kept her malformation secret from those who have monitored her for most of her life, but when she receives an ancient piece of music to record as her community’s assigned musician, she can no longer keep her emotions secreted away.
Seen as a threat to the harmony of her Pod, Thalli is taken to the Scientists for immediate annihilation. But before that can happen, Berk—her former Pod mate who is being groomed as a Scientist—steps in and persuades the Scientists to keep Thalli alive as a test subject.
The more time she spends in the Scientist’s Pod, the clearer it becomes that things are not as simple as she was programmed to believe. She hears stories of a Designer—stories that fill her mind with more questions: Who can she trust? What is this emotion called love? And what if she isn’t just an anomaly, but part of a greater design?
I think this is the first Christian YA sci-fi I’ve read that was simply stunning. Like, I’d suffered through the whole Christian-contemporary-fiction-sucks stage, lots of despairing remarks, salvage attempts, tears (“Why can’t Christian books be awesome like non-Christian books??”) &c, and here’s a book that completely disrupts that. I debated a bit whether to put it in dystopian or sci-fi but think at its heart it’s sci-fi. Also, any book with a classical musician/music paired with science will not fail me. At least, I believe so. 😉
11. Inception
Contents: Violence, Thematic Elements, &c.
Rating: PG-13
I know I promised you movies, and this ends up being the first out of twelve mentioned.
But.
I kind of have a love-hate relationship with sci-fi movies in general, and Inception’s about the only movie I’ll recommend without any hesitation. I mean, I read a follow-up book, Inception & Philosophy. I have Inception fanart on my walls. I dream about re-watching Inception every opportunity I get. Yes, I’m obsessed with it.
12. Matrix
Contents: Violence, Some gore, Thematic Elements, Graphic scenes, &c.
Rating: R18
Like the Wilder Girls, I have mixed feelings about this movie. I loved the first one, the second one’s a bit iffy, and it does kind of recover in the third one, but even writing about it makes me pause. I guess it’s one of those movies I have a love-hate relationship with bordering on the negative side.
Yet it is a really interesting conversation with philosophy. science, and cognitive systems (die-hard topic for me), so I obviously wouldn’t miss it. Would not recommend anyone under fifteen the youngest watching it.
So that’s it! Thanks for reading so far.
Are you a fan of sci-fi? What’s your favourite sci-fi book/movie? Do you like any of the sci-fi books/movies in this list? Let me know in the comments below; I’d love to chat with you!
I’m so excited today (again) because Raincouver has been sunny for two days in a row in winter!! *shrieks A#5* Also, I rediscovered my love for Bach’s Brandenburg concerto 3 and have been swapping the three viola parts with my siblings, which is immensely fun even if you’re missing the cellos and the violins, because violas rulz. (Violins are literally “little violas” in Italian, so there.)
Anyhow.
Today, I was thinking I’ll be doing a book review because it’s that time of the month, but from a recent survey starting with my siblings to my bookstagram, I found out that people were more inclined to book lists than book reviews. Naturally. So I’m thinking I’ll alternate between this each month or make a different section in the Afternoon Tea series for a mini-review.
So today, I will be presenting to you 7 + 1 Favourite Superpowered Books + Movies!
Obviously, the very first book that came to my mind when I thought of superpowers was Blank Mastermind. For those of you who have not come across this ace of superpower books, a little synopsis:
Amnesia is annoying. The poor hero has to find out everything about his wonderful life again and re-meet all the lovely people he knew before, then go to stop the villain. But what if the life that starts showing itself isn’t wonderful, the people aren’t lovely and the villain is… yourself?
And if that doesn’t make you go screaming to read this book, I don’t know what will. (Although to be fair, I wasn’t expecting too much when I went into the book…and now I would literally recommend it top of the list when it comes to superpower books.) Plus, the author is also a blogger!
Okay, call me crazy or whatever, but Cape High is my ultimate comfort read of this genre. The middle-grade (it’s mg, not YA despite the age range) series kicks off with twins Zoe and Sunny whose supervillain father is imprisoned. Then, their father is sent on parole, and he becomes the principal of a high school for superpowered teenagers. It’s a fluffy and fun read that is absolutely hilarious. The thing I find relaxing is that even though there are “villains” and “heroes”, most of them are friends off the grid and come together to help each other when true evil comes into play. It’s just the thing if you’re looking for a non-serious and floccus read. (I know, I just called this book floccus read. Go figure.)
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Audience: PG13, YA
Content: Violence, romance, thematic elements?
And now, you find out which team I was on all along. (Given I literally advertise my old fashioned-ness on my blog header, it’s not that shocking. #teamcap)
Yes, I generally don’t watch Marvel movies because there’s only an amount of destruction one can handle. Yes, I’m not even American. But obviously, this is my favourite Marvel movie of all time. *end of explanation*
Anytime I get to sneak my love for afandom is a good day 🙂
So technically, I’ve only read a third of this series a while back and also forgot some parts, but I would still consider this to be one of my favourite superpowered stories. I also really love the backstory of this manga author who suffered a major slump and depression, which is where he came back to this project. And, I’m so glad he did.
I also think of this one as the manga American comics which makes no sense but it does. (Plus I love op. 2 of this anime because I’m a Yonetsu Genshi fan.)
What could be better than a normal superpower story? Hmm, let’s see, a world where authors have superpowers based on their books.
This, ladies and gentleman, is the manga that was missing from your life if you are a Bibliophile, especially of classics. In this story, major classic authors starting with Japanese ones (Dazai is obviously my fav.) and branching off into American (Fitzgerald and his Gatsby, LOL) and Russian authors (Dostoyevsky!!!) face off against each other with their powers and strategy games. If you’re a fan of intellectual-detective-mafia-classics battle combination, you will like this story. Ten points if this series makes you want to read the original classics! (Which happened to me.)
(Also, if you’re interested in Japanese authors I love, check out this post.)
The Prisoner of Cell 25 was probably my first superpowered read, and this book would come to set the standard to the rest of the books in this genre. It’s in no way a classic superhero story because all through the series, Michael focuses on rescuing and helping people rather than battling bad guys…but at the same time it is a well-orchestrated arch. I also love the restriction on the superpower and its connection to electricity and the brain. Now that I think about it, I want to go back and re-read the entire series again.
This is the classic superhero story with a complete set of good guys v. s. bad guys face off and the twist–yes, you guessed it–the MC is the villain. I also got a signed copy by Marissa Meyer which was super awesome. Despite its well-written orchestration, I do have some reservations about the story because I like stories that are twisted beyond belief and this follows a rather average storyline. But the world is well developed and you can read it like you’re watching a movie or a comic, something many books can’t pull off. Plus, you’ve got to love Max, the child prodigy. 😉
And now we finally come to the plus one factor…Vicious! It’s the story that I would also consider dark academia, so it’s a bit of a black horse in this list. It also isn’t YA, so I wouldn’t really recommend it to anyone below fifteen.
But, if you are over fifteen and have heard of VE Schwab and love the idea of dark academia-superpower fusion, then this book is for you.
And that concludes the list!
Thank you for reading! What did you think? Are you a fan of superheroes? What are some of your favourite superhero stories? Let me know in the comments below; I’d love to chat with you!
S. J. Barnard 